barefoot gal

Ok, I lied. This editorial takes the place for the most inspirational thing I've seen in awhile. I get very bored, very easily during the summer when it comes to fashion. I don't know if it's because I think about it less or care about it less; being more concerned with other things such as reading in the park or spending a thunderous downpour of an afternoon playing Scrabble and drinking blueberry wine (my yesterday). Maybe it's because during the other seasons fashion serves as more of an escape from the dreariness of school work or because I'm holed up inside and spend so much more time on the internet. In the summer, I like to get away from my computer and just be out and about. This editorial (from the forever-obscure Russh) captures exactly that. It embodies a kind of rustic, calm charm and simplicity that makes summer what it is: no muss, no fuss.






(Scans by rox_yr_sox; rest of editorial @ tfs)

It's Saturday

I love Saturday morning breakfast. This commercial is absolutely brillant in capturing the essence that is Saturday. Now I know it's not related to fashion or style or anything, but it's the most inspirational thing I've seen in awhile.

Happy Saturday all!

The Dreamers

I tend to have a desire to watch a movie, but then take forever to actually get around to it. I had heard about The Dreamers so often, that it was always in the back of my mind to watch but it wasn't available to rent through Lovefilm (the UK's Netflix) and so I didn't bother, until last weekend, when alone and bored to death, I finally downloaded it. Being vaguely aware of the premise and only hearing about it from the erotic-incest angle, I was a little nervous, but I loved it. It's kind of like watching Last Tango in Paris and realizing that it's not as scandalous as you imagine it could've been. This is Bertolucci's Last Tango for 20-something intellectuals in Paris during May '68. Shocking but not in a cheap-this-is-meant-to-tantalize sort of way, rather it was quietly beautiful. And though Eva Green spends a good amount of the movie naked, when she was wearing clothes, her costumes were enviable.

(screen captures by me)

Summer Satchel

Have you ever had one of those nights where you are online-window-shopping, i.e. adding things into your cart just for the pure pleasure of imagining that you can buy said things, and you are kind of bleary-eyed and all of a sudden find yourself clicking check-out, and then typing in your credit card number and in this automaton state, clicking place order, only to wake up the next morning and realize that you just bought a cart-load of shit you don't need, can't afford and probably don't actually want? Anyone?

Well, this happened very recently on a cybertrip to Topshop.com, where I ended up buying three shirts and a bag without really thinking about it. Buyer's remorse was immediate. But then I received the items. I quickly dismissed the shirts as too expensive for the quality (which I probably already knew) and they are ready to be returned, but the bag. Oh the bag. It's a satchel actually, which is something that has been on my wish list for, oh I dunno, FOREVER. I've been scouring local vintage haunts for ages to no avail, either the ones I found were too big, too small, not the right colour brown...can't complain when you are as picky as I am. Buying this bag on a whim, I fully expected to return it, but now cannot take it off. So, it's not brown, but grey is one of my favorite colours and it is just the right size to sling all my crap around all summer long. I have a love/hate relationship with Topshop, in terms of price, quality and the way they lure me in, but this bag is pure love.

Interior Envy

GAAAH. Do you know how badly I want to be 'grown-up' enough to live in a space that I can actually get my hands on and decorate to my every whim and fancy? SO BADLY. Right now I live in a pretty amazing apartment, with stairs in the hallway and shabby chic charm to the brim; however, my landlord used to live in the apartment, and so is kind of attached to it, meaning no painting, no holes in the wall, no fun. Though I may have poked a hole or two, hey a cuckoo clock must be hung, I have been relatively quiet in changing anything. Plus, my life is a bit transient right now, and so I'm not one to completely invest myself into a place without knowing whether I will be there in a year. So, whenever I see supercool apartments, I have serious interiors envy. I have notes everywhere on inspirational places, and here's another added to the list: Gemma Ahern's apartment (fully photographed at Design*Sponge). When the time comes, and I have money and a space of my own to completely reconstruct, I have to have this wallpaper. I want floor-to-ceiling bookshelves anyway, but this wallpaper may be an awesome alternative while I build my library...

Alex and Ani

I think I must have gotten my love of jewelry from my mother, who is always bedecked in the most wonderfully unique pieces. While I get easily frustrated with thrift shopping in London's highly over priced, overpicked vintage selection, I never ever tire of searching at antique markets for some jewelry. It's probably because of my aforementioned love of history, I love buying jewelry with a history, like this Victorian picture locket with aged-sepia photos of two dapper gentlemen already in it (one on each side).

I rarely buy new jewelry as it is not nearly as fun, but I've recently come across Alex and Ani, and would certainly save up for some of those baubles, especially since the designs are all eco-conscious, handmade from recycled materials. Plus I always have a hard time finding bracelets to fit my small wrists, but these are expandable, completely erasing that problem...hurray! Now to begin saving, erm...

Visionary

I'm not one of those people who have been reading Vogue since I was 10 and have been devouring fashion ever since. In high school, I was the exact opposite, dismissing fashion and proud in my laissez-faire disinterested attitude towards dressing. Then sometime in college, I couldn't tell you when, I suddenly cared. Not like I had a sudden fashion moment or anything, I just realized that I did care about what I was wearing, and how it should fit. Anyway, upon realizing that I do have an interest in fashion, I thought I was supposed to display this newfound love by reading Vogue, apparently the fashion bible. So I read a few issues circa 2004-5, not really aware of all the politics behind it in terms of Wintour-haters and how it is considered the most blasé of the Vogues. Rather, on my own, I decided it wasn't for me; the articles weren't for me, the styling, for the most part, wasn't inspirational to me, and so I stopped reading it. It was until afterwards, when I actually began reading about fashion through blogs and such that I realized that it has been on a downward slide for awhile.

Well, putting all that aside, I am kinda digging this new editorial in the July issue shot by Terry Richardson. The odd thing though, is that it isn't the accessories that the shoot is peddling (although I do love the sunglasses in the first shot, which funny enough, aren't credited), nor the model, makeup, or clothing that's getting me going. Rather, it's the use of the optometrist equipment. Mostly the glasses in the second shot, which in a fashion context, seem a little steampunk or Back to the Future-esque...wouldn't it be kind of amazing if they were redesigned into actual glasses? Okay, yes, I know, in real life they'd probably look ridiculous, but still, in this shot, they are perfection.

Photos and the rest of the editorial found here.

Summer To-Dos

I'm spending my summer working at a mindless job to pay the bills ("Bloomsbury Fitness, how can I help?" -- is my summer catchphrase), and generally not taking life too seriously. Heavy thoughts about the future (with only one year left of law) could damper my summer, but I figure that can all wait until September.

Rather I am concentrating on doing nothing special, but with a very specific to-do list of the nothing specials that I shall be doing:

* Find a guitar and/or ukulele before the summer is out, perhaps begin to learn to play (not being too ambitious is key to checking things off the list)
* Continue building, and reading, my collection of used Agatha Christie novels (a seemingly easy task, but she did write 80 novels, people)
* Get further on my 'films-to-see' list which is ever-growing, next up: Klute and Dans Paris
* Reorganize my closet, empty out all that I do not need/wear/doesn't fit and give to charity and/or sell on etsy/ebay
*Spend as much time as possible outside in all of London's parks - a picnic in a new park each weekend perhaps...
* Explore more of England outside of London: Brighton, Liverpool, Lake Country...I've been here two freakin' years and haven't been outside the city except to go to the Continent. I am ashamed.

That's all I can think of for now. I'm a list gal. I love making lists. Anyone else have a list for summer fun....or is that too persnickety for summer?

By the Sea, part deux

Another round of photos from me holiday...

Spent the majority of the time in Nice, reading and sunning on its pebbled shores, and during the evenings getting lost (actually) in the Old City, with its tiny winding streets, and tall beige buildings. It was ridiculously picturesque and only slightly frustrating. And the food, oh my goodness, the food. I don't think I have ever eaten that much pasta in my life, and I love pasta. I didn't realize that there would be so much Italian food, but I guess it used to be under Roman influence and didn't actually become a part of France until the late 19th century. I loved Nice so much, and definitely could have a little beachside apartment there one day. Hmmm.

We also had a couple of day trips to Monaco, to see how the rich live and Cannes, to see where the rich play and show their films. Both were beautiful but Monaco was a bit expensive and Cannes was a bit windy and not too different from Nice. Still, I am happy to have seen both and I can now check them off my list. Nice is still my favorite of all though, perhaps because that's where we came upon a really really freakin' gigantic palm tree. The tallest that I ever did stand beside and that was pretty darn cool.

By the Sea, part one

Here are some photos from Marseilles, where we spent the first couples days of our trip. We had a (cheap!) hotel with an amazing view of the sea, and spent our time there mostly wandering through the Vieux Port and oohing at the ridiculously blue sea. We took a ferry to the Chateau D'If, where part of Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo is set. It's kind of funny to visit an actual historical site because of fictional characters, but at least it gets people going there, I guess. I love history, majored in it in university, and so love visiting old forts/prisons/castles, etc merely for the fact that there is so much history within the walls. It blows my mind to think of all the events that have occurred in the past all leading to what is going on now....Anyway, all geekiness aside, it was fun start to the trip. I'll post a few more photos tomorrow of Nice, Cannes and Monaco, the other places my fella and I visited.